Life Flight makes rescue off the coast of New Zealand

Tue, 04/18/2017 - 15:34

The view from a helicopter. Credit: Life Flight

On 14 April, at approximately 11:00 hrs, New Zealand-based rescue company Life Flight was tasked by the New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre to rescue a worker from a cargo ship off the southern Hawkes Bay coast, New Zealand.

Life Flight said that it responded with the Westpac Rescue Helicopter with a Wellington Free Ambulance intensive care paramedic on board. The 220m (720ft) cargo vessel was located approximately 10km (six miles) off shore, rolling in five-metre (16ft) swells. The paramedic was winched to the deck of the vessel where the patient was assessed and stabilised before being winched 20m (65ft) up to the helicopter. Once on board the helicopter, the patient was transported to Wellington Hospital for treatment, said Life Flight.